By Don Urquhart, Times-Chronicle
Two COVID-19 outbreaks at Osoyoos’ Mariposa Gardens and Oliver’s McKinney Place long-term care homes have been declared over, leaving four deaths in their wake.
While the outbreak at Mariposa Gardens had been declared over last week, Interior Health told the Times-Chronicle that the McKinney Place outbreak was also officially over as of Monday, Feb. 7.
Interior Health said on Feb. 4 that one death had occurred at Mariposa Gardens connected to the outbreak alongside 14 resident and 15 staff infections, while at McKinney Place there were three deaths connected to the outbreak with 31 residents and nine staff infected.
Nadia Daniell-Colarossi, the spokesperson for Toronto-based Sienna Senior Living, the parent company of Mariposa Gardens, noted that the individual who died at Mariposa had underlying health conditions and tested positive for COVID before passing away.
“We are saddened by this loss and extend our deepest sympathies to the family,” she said.
“Protecting the health of residents is the highest priority, and we are grateful for the support from Public Health and the dedication of team members to contain the spread of COVID-19,” Daniell-Colarossi said.
She added that with the virus still circulating widely within the larger community, “we will continue to follow stringent infection prevention and control protocols and testing guidelines.”
The outbreaks were first identified on Jan. 18 at Mariposa which registered four residents and three staff infected, while at McKinney the outbreak was identified on Jan. 22 with 14 residents and five staff infections.
This is the first COVID-19 death at Mariposa Gardens since the pandemic began in 2020.
At McKinney Place, however, 17 residents died of COVID-19 in January 2021.
